Tatham, Alex

A-LIST 2005

Company: Bell Microproducts.

Job title: Director of commercial products.

Place of birth: London.

Year of birth: 1965.

Marital status: Married.

Career highlights: Having obtained a degree in Zoology from Durham University I decided to get a proper job and joined Ernst & Young [E &Y] in 1987. I qualified as chartered accountant in 1991 and undertook several roles at E&Y, including audit, forensic, mergers and acquisitions, graduate recruitment and training, before joining the channel in 1996 at Ideal Hardware as head of the Ideal Institute. I have held a number of high-profile positions at Ideal, including UK country manager and vice-president global software, and am a former Channel Personality of the Year.

What do you love most about the IT industry? Not the margins in distribution, that's for sure. But I love the fact that such a large industry doesn't feel so large when you get into it. There's great cameraderie.

Which company do you most admire or respect in the IT business? Microsoft.

Which individual do you most admire or respect in the IT business? James Wickes [one of the founders of Ideal Hardware].

What is the biggest technology trend you anticipate in the next 12 months? Hewlett-Packard's [HP] channel model.

What is the one thing working in the technology industry has taught you? A week isn't just a long time in politics.

Where do you think the channel will be in five years time? Very much smaller with many fewer players. HP will be largely direct. Microsoft will not. Everything will have a disk drive/flash inside. Storage will have finally lived up to it own hype and the most important channel company will be IBM. Deja vu?

Which do you think is the most influential vendor in the UK? HP.

Which do you think is the most influential ISV in the UK? Sage.

Which vendor's technology do you think has changed the face of IT? Microsoft.

How do you unwind or spend your spare time? Golf, sailing and parenting duties.

Where is your favourite place to eat? Pizza Express.

What is your favourite drink? Burgundy red wine.

What is your favourite TV programme or film? Blind Date.

Who is your favourite musician, band, artist or genre? Queen.

What is your favourite book? Wild Swans by Jung Chang.

What career would you have pursued if you hadn't worked in the channel? Acting or politics.

What has been your greatest business achievement? Building a software business from nothing into the largest business Ideal has.

What is your personal ambition? To own my own island.